PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO.

1602
June 11, 1978

PRESCRIBING STIFFER PENALTIES O ILLEGAL GAMBLING.

WHEREAS, Philippine Gambling Laws such as Article’s 195-199 of the Revised Penal Code
(Forms of Gambling and Betting), R.A. 3063 (Horse Racine Bookies), P.D. 449 (Cockfighting),
P.D. 483 (Game Fixing), P.D. 510 (Slot Machines) in relation to Opinion Nos. 33 and 97 of the
Ministry of Justice, P.D. 1306 (Jai-Alai Bookies) and other City and Municipal Ordinances or
gambling all over the country prescribe penalties which are inadequate to discourage or stamp
out this pernicious activities;

WHEREAS, there is now a need to increase their penalties to make them more effective
in combating this social menace which dissipate the energy and resources of our
people;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS,President of the Republic of the

Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby order
and decree:

SECTION 1. Penalties.— The following penalties are hereby imposed: -

(a) The penalty of prision correcional in its medium period or a fine ranging
from one thousand to six thousand, pesos, and in case ox recidivism, the
penalty of prision mayor in its medium period or a fine ranging from five
thousand to ten thousand pesos shall be imposed upon:

(l) Any person other than those referred to in the succeeding

sub-sections who in any manner, shall directly or indirectly
take pert in any illegal or unauthorized activities or games of
cockfighting, jueteng, jai-alai or horse racing to include
bookie operations and game fixing, numbers, bingo and
other forms of lotteries; cara y cruz, pompiang and the like;
7-11 and any game using dice; black jack, lucky nine, poker
and its derivatives, monte, baccarat, cuajo, panggruingue
and other card games; paile que, high and low, mahjong,
domino and other games using plastic tiles and the like; slot
machines, roulette, pinball and other mechanical
contraptions and devices; dog racing, boat racing, car racing
and other forms of races; basketball, boxing, volleyball,
bowling, pingpong and other forms of individual or team
contests to include game fixing, point shaving and other
machinations; banking or percentage game, or any other
game or scheme, whether upon chance or skill, wherein
 wagers consisting of money, articles of value or
representative of value are at stake or made;

(2) Any person who shall knowingly permit any form of

gambling referred to in the preceding subparagraph to be
carried on in inhabited or uninhabited place or in any
building, vessel or other means of transportation owned or
controlled by him. If the place where gambling is carried on
has a reputation of a gambling place or that prohibited
gambling is frequently carried on therein, or the place is a
public or government building or barangay hall, the
malefactor shall be punished by prision correccional in its
maximum period and a fine of six thousand pesos.

(b) The penalty of prision correccional in its maximum period or a fine of

six thousand pesos shall be imposed upon the maintainer or conductor of
the above gambling schemes.

(c) The penalty of prision mayor in its medium period with temporary
absolute disqualification or a fine of Six thousand pesos shall be imposed
if the maintainer, conductor or banker of said gambling schemes is a
government official, or where such government official is the player,
promoter, referee, umpire, judge or coach in case of game fixing, point of
shaving machination.

(d) The penalty of prision correccional in its medium period or a fine

ranging from four hundred to two thousand pesos shall be imposed upon
any person who shall, knowingly and without lawful purpose in any hour of
any day, possess any lottery list, paper or other matter containing letters,
figures, signs or symbols pertaining to or in any manner used in the
games of jueteng, jai-alai or horse racing bookies, and similar games of
lotteries and numbers which have taken place or about to take place.

(e) The penalty of temporary absolute disqualifications shall be imposed

upon any barangay official who, with knowledge of the existence of a
gambling house or place in his Jurisdiction fails to abate the same or take
action in connection therewith.

(f) The penalty of prision correccional in its maximum period or a fine

ranging iron five hundred pesos to two thousand pesos shall be imposed
upon any security officer, security guard, watchman, private or house
detective of hotels, villages, buildings, enclosures and the like which have
the reputation of a gambling place or where gambling activities are being
held.
SECTION 2. Informer’s reward.— Any person who shall disclose information that will
lead to the arrest and final conviction of the malefactor shall be rewarded twenty percent
of the cash money or articles of value confiscated or forfeited in favor of the
government.

SECTION 3. Repealing Clause.— Provisions of Art,, 195-199 of the Revised Penal

Code, as amended, Republic Act No. 3063, Presidential Decrees numbered 483, 449,
510 and 1306, letters of instructions, laws, executive orders, rules and regulations, city
and municipal ordinances which are inconsistent with this Decree are hereby repealed.

SECTION 4. Effectivity.— This Decree shall take effect immediately upon publication at
least once in a newspaper of general circulation.

Done in the City of Manila, this 11th day of June, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen
hundred and seventy-eight.

(Sgd.) FERDINAND E. MARCOS

President of the Philippines

By the President:

(Sgd.) JACOBO C. CLAVE

Presidential Executive Assistant